I’m in the process of repairing a large natural stone wall, limestone. Around here , Milwaukee, they call it Lannon stone. On one side it was coated with stucco, half of which as fallen off. The idea is to get rid of all the stucco, repair, replace, and point the stones as needed.
My thought is to start with Quikrete premix mortar cement (#1136) which costs about $3.50 for 80#s for the inside repairs and use the same colored mortar for exterior pointing. The colored stuff runs at least twice as much.
The original wall was build in 1931 so the colored mortar lets me blend with the original mortar.
The #1136 is a type S mortar. I am thinking to soften it down to type N by adding lime. Am I nuts from reading too much restoration stuff about modern mortars breaking stone?
Has any one done this kind of doctoring? Any thoughts?
Thanks
Edited 8/4/2007 10:15 am ET by jackrick
Replies
jack if you are just going to clean the old stucco off and repoint the damaged joints I would use a lime mortar esp.on a limestone wall since it does absorb so much water same thing goes for old brick since most off that is very pourous also.
If its a harder more water restant type stone or brick or if I was doing a whole repoint job then I use a portland base type N mortar,also on more modern masonry I would use the modern mortars.
Yes , what yyyyyou have read does happen ,the faces of both stone and brick will spall off in just afew years if the work has a lot of freeze thaw cycles happen to it using modern portland base to fix an old pourous masonry unit, I would play it safe and use a lime base cement. such as what "Virginia. lime works" sells they have distb. all over so they might have one in Minn. If not chech with a masonry distributor --brickyard or stone yard -block yard and use a professional product instead of that quickcrete junk ,you will get a better job.also check on Modern Masonry's website in their archives they have had some great articles and links dealing with what you are about to do. good luck and happy mudding DW
Edit-- I have used a liquid lime substute/weatherproofing additive to soften the mudd withgreat results called Gibco's MRF
Edited 8/4/2007 6:03 pm ET by dedubya
DW-
I remember doing some brickwork with my old man. He did little of it when I worked with him, but had done a lot years ago. One thing that he did was soak the brick in water as he was working with 'em. Said it would keep the brick from drying the mortar too quickly.
Never saw that anywhere else really. Probably overkill, but I thought it was a trick to remember.
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
yeppers that is what ya do esp. in dry hot weather, just turn the water hose on them and let them soak --hey man -- do ya want some cough medicine ? if so I have to prepare my famous elixor
Thanks for the info. When you say Modern Masonry is that a magazine or the alliance in England? My thought of using the colored Quikrete stuff was free myself from too much color mixing and matching, trusting the Quirete for a consistent color solution. Their stuff is type S so I was thinking to soften it with lime to bring it to Type N or softer.I have found another source of colored lime mortar which is rated Type N. I'm going over and look at their stuff on Monday. I'll also check to see if they stock the Gibco product you mentioned. Thanks.
I say old bean--masonry magazine is the publication of the masonry contractors of america organization, pretty good stuff actually. I use Flamingo colored mortars manufactored by capitol cement, do they have that in mill.?
Allthough I do hail from the jolly old England , I thought I had lost most of my accent by now replaced with S.W. VA. speak.